Automatic sheet-music turner and holder.



No. 886,425. PATENTED'MAY 5, 190a.

, H; F. SHIPLEY.

AUTOMATIC SHEET MUSIC TURNER AND HOLDER.

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PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

H. P. SHI PLEY. AUTOMATIC 'SHEET MUSIC TURNER AND HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR,27|1907- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. SHIPLEY, OF HAMPDEN, NORTH DAKOTA.

AUTOMATIC SHEET-MUSIC TURNER AND HOLDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY FREMONT Sl-IIPLEY, a citizen. of the United States, re-

siding at Hampden, in the county of Ramsey and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sheet-\Iusic Turners and Holders, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a novel device for holding sheet music and automatically turning the leaves thereof.

The object of the invention is to design a device of this character which is simple in its construction and operates in an effective manner to turn the music leaves as desired, and which when not in use will form a convenient case for the music and can be readily carried from place to place.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the covers of the body portion being shown as swung in an open position. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the leaf carrying frames. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the leaf carrying frames employed in the modified construction. Fig. 5 is a perspec tive view showing the covers in a closed position. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the rod upon which the leaf carrying frames are hinged in the preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the standards. Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the collars mounted upon the rod shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detached perspective of the back employed in the modified construction. Fig. 10 is a similar view of one of the pintles carried by the swinging frames in the modified construction.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The body portion of the device comprises the two covers 1 and 2 which are hinged to the back 3 and are designed to be held in a distended position as shown in Fig. 1 when the leaf turning mechanism is in operation, or to be folded against each other to form a case for the music as shown in Fig. 5 when Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 27,1907.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Serial No. 370,692.

the device is not in use. Apair of standards 4 project from the back 3 at points toward the opposite ends thereof, and the said standards are connected by a rod 5 extending along the back 3 and slightly spaced therefrom to enable the covers of the sheet music to be inserted between the said members. The portion of the rod 5 fitting within the standards 4 have an octagonal or angular formation as indicated at 6 corresponding to the openings within the standards 4 whereby the rod is effectively held against rotation, the extremities of the rod being shown as threaded and capped by the nuts 7 which prevent longitudinal displacement of the rod. The swing ing frames carrying the leaves of the music are hinged to the rod 5 and in the present instance this result is accomplished by providing the frames with straps 8 extending around the said rod.

In the specific construction of the leaf carrying frames 9 it will be observed that the same comprise a longitudinal member 10 located at the hinged edge of the frame and carrying laterally extending arms 11 at opposite ends thereof. Spring clips of any suitable nature such as indicated at 12 are mounted upon the laterally extending arms 11 of the swinging frames and form a means for retaining the sheets of music in position upon the frame. A series of springs 13 is employed to hold the swinging frames normally against the left hand cover 1, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention these springs are in the nature of coils which surround the rod 5, each coil having one end thereof in engagement with one of the swinging frames, while the opposite end engages a notch 14 in one end of a collar 15 which is slipped upon the rod and held in position thereon by means of a screw 16. A plurality of catches 17 is mounted upon the lower portion of the cover 2, each of the catches being designed to engage one of the swinging frames for the purpose of holding the same against the cover 2. These catches may be in the nature of sliding bolts which when in operative position project over the edge por tion of one of the lateral arms 11 of the leaf carrying frame and are shown as mounted within casings 18 formed in imitation of a frog.

In the operation of the device the cover of the music is inserted between the rod 5 and the back 3 of the device while the leaves are attached to the leaf carrying frames by means of the spring clips 12. The frames 9 are then swung against the cover 2 and the respective catches 17 moved into engagement therewith. When it is desired to turn one of the leaves it is simply necessary to exert a slight downward pressure upon the finger-piece of one of the catches 17 in order to slide the same out of engagement with the frame 9, whereby the latter is swung against the opposite cover 1 by the tension in the spring 13. Where there are certain portions of the music to be repeated the swinging frame 9 carrying this portion may have a finger-piece such as indicated at 19 applied thereto so that the said frame can be readily swung against the cover 2 in such a position as to expose the portion of the music to be repeated.

The covers 1 and 2 are shown as provided with the flanges 20 which cooperate with each other when the covers are folded together to form-a case for the music as shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed that the lower ortion of the flanges 20 are spaced from the ower edges of the covers 1 and 2 and that the portion of the cover 2 between the flange and the edge thereof has a sliding latch 21 mounted thereon which is designed to engage a socket 22 upon the back 3 to hold the covers in an open or distended position. Suitable handles 23 are secured to the covers in the usual manner to be em loyed in carrying the device from place to p ace, and a fastening device 24 of anyapproved form may be employed for holding the covers together when the device is folded.

A modification of the invention is shown in Fig. 3 in which the brackets 4 carried by the back 3 have a plurality of openings therein receiving pintles 25 mounted upon the leaf carrying frames 9. These pintles 25 are surrounded by coil springs 26 which operate in a manner similar to that of the spring 13 in the preferred construction to hold the swinging frames 9 normally against the cover 1. In this form of the invention the inner edges of the frames 9 are slightly spaced from each other to admit of a sheet of music being drawn between the same whereby music appearing in book form can be employed as well as that appearing in folios. The operation of this form of the invention through the medium of the spring catches 17 is identical with that previously set forth in connection with the form shown in Fig. 1.

In both forms of the device the swinging edges of the covers 1 and 2 are provided with the keepers 27 for engaging the edges of the music covers, and these keepers may either be in the nature of inwardly projecting flanges or hinged members having a clamping action and normally held against the cover by means of springs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a body comprising a pair of folding covers, flanges carried by the covers and cooperating with each other to form a case when the covers are closed, and a leaf turning mechanism mounted upon the body and housed within the case when the covers are folded.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a body comprising a pair of folding covers hinged to a back, standards projecting from the back, swinging frames mounted between the standards, springs normally tending to swing the frames against one of the covers, catches carried by the opposite cover for engaging the frames, and a flange carried by each of the covers, the said flanges cooperating with each other when the covers are closed to form a housing for the swinging frames.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a body comprising a pair of folding covers hinged to a back, standards projecting from the back, a rod connecting the standards, a swinging frame mounted upon the rod, a spring normally tending to swing the frame against one of the covers, a catch carried by the opposite cover for engaging the frame, and a flange carried by each of the covers, the said flanges cooperating with each other when the covers are closed to form a housing for the swinging frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. SHIPLEY. LL. s.j

Witnesses:

OLE JOHANSEN, O. H. LUNDQUIST. 

